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Things to do in Borås: textiles, Abecita and street art

Things to do in Borås: the city's textile history, the Abecita photography museum and art in the streets.

Borås is a good city for looking closely: at the cloth and machines that tell its textile story, the photographs at Abecita, and the murals you pass on an ordinary walk. You can build a day around museums without spending all of it indoors. Here are six places to start, with a few practical details to help you put them together.

1. Textilmuseet

Start with the industry that helped shape Borås. Clothing, fabrics and textile machinery give you both sides of the story: the things people wore and the equipment used to make them. It is a good first stop before you explore the city’s other art collections.

Good to know

  • Find it at Skaraborgsvägen 3A in Textile Fashion Center.
  • Normally open Tuesday–Sunday, with a later evening on Thursday; check holiday hours on textilmuseet.se.
  • Adults pay admission; students with ID and visitors aged 25 or younger enter free. Check current prices before visiting.
  • Machine demonstrations run on selected weekends, not continuously. Check the programme if seeing the machines work matters to you.

2. Abecita Popkonst & Foto

Make time for photography as well as textiles. Abecita brings together photography, graphic art and textile art, so it makes a different kind of stop from the industrial story at Textilmuseet. Leave time to sit down with a coffee and browse the photography books afterwards.

Good to know

  • The museum is at Herrljungagatan 15 in Knalleland, rather than in the central shopping streets.
  • Normally open Tuesday–Sunday and closed Mondays; check for holiday or exhibition-change exceptions.
  • Admission includes coffee or tea, and under-15s enter free. See abecitakonst.se for current adult prices.

3. Street art and sculpture in the centre

In Borås, the walk between museums can be part of the visit. Murals, sculptures and installations appear in the streets, squares and along the Viskan. Pick a few works from the digital map rather than trying to see everything at once.

Good to know

  • Use the digital art tour linked from boras.com to choose your own route.
  • The outdoor art can be explored year-round, without fitting your walk around museum opening hours.
  • Pair a short art circuit with Sandwalls plats and Stadsparken for a riverside break.

4. Borås Konstmuseum

This is the place to continue into contemporary art. The museum sits in Kulturhuset, so you can move from public works outside to exhibitions indoors without changing the subject completely. It also makes a useful extra stop if you want an art-filled day without paying for another museum.

Good to know

  • Admission to exhibitions and ordinary introductions is free.
  • Find it at P A Halls Terrass; Bäckängsskolan is the nearest bus stop.
  • Normally closed Mondays. Check boraskonstmuseum.se for exhibition-change closures and current hours.

5. Stadsparken and Sandwalls plats

Give yourself a pause beside the Viskan. Sandwalls plats looks out over the river, with Stadsparken right next to it. The park is an easy place to switch from looking at art to a stroll, a playground stop or something to eat.

Good to know

  • The large playground makes this a useful stop with children.
  • Orangeriet is a food-and-drink option in the park; check its own opening hours before planning a meal.
  • Keep this as a flexible outdoor stop between museum visits rather than a timed booking.

6. Borås Museum in Ramnaparken

Head to Ramnaparken for a different side of the textile region’s history. The open-air museum brings together old buildings, including a weaver’s home and the wooden Ramnakyrkan. It is a good contrast to the machinery and exhibition rooms at Textilmuseet.

Good to know

  • Admission is free.
  • The museum’s summer opening is June–August; check current hours before expecting to enter buildings.
  • Look up the programme before visiting if you want a guided activity rather than a walk among the buildings.

Quick tips

  • Start at Textilmuseet, then choose a short public-art route through the centre.
  • Give Abecita its own slot: it is in Knalleland, not beside the central museums.
  • Check museum calendars before choosing a Monday for an indoor-heavy visit.
  • Want company? Check upcoming events in Borås on Socroo below and find someone to go with.

Upcoming events

Things to do in Borås in winter Textilmuseet: visiting Abecita: visiting Borås: public art and digital map Borås Konstmuseum: visiting Borås: parks and places to visit Borås Museum